Dynamic paint very difficult to set up without a vertex weight overlay

dynamic paint very difficult to set up without a vertex weight overlay. You cant see how the parameters in the brush for example are affecting the canvas object, because you have to go into weight paint mode…and weight paint mode only shows the weights of the selected object…which means you cant see the controls of the brush object.

pinning the properties for the brush object doesnt appear to work, as in tweaking the parameters dont update weights of the canvas object.

Resolution, have a vertex weights overlay which shows vertex weights for all items on screen, using the last selected weight group in the data panel.